FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 officials are continuing preparations to assume responsibility for early childhood special education services for eligible 4-year-olds beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

RSU 9 Director of Special Services Cynthia Bernstein provided an update on the transition during a presentation to the RSU 9 board of directors last month as part of the district’s participation in Cohort 3 of Maine’s statewide rollout.

Under the plan, RSU 9 will become responsible for identifying children who may have disabilities, determining eligibility and delivering services beginning Aug. 27, 2026, the first day of the district’s pre-K program for the 2026-27 school year.

The change is part of a statewide shift in which Maine school districts gradually assume responsibility for Early Childhood Special Education services that were previously provided through the state’s Child Development Services system. The transition is being implemented in phases across the state.

Bernstein said the district is currently meeting regularly with the Maine Department of Education’s Early Childhood Special Education department to coordinate the transition and ensure programs and resources are in place.

She said RSU 9 officials are also consulting with district pre-K teachers and local preschool and child care providers to address questions about how services will be delivered once the transition occurs.

According to Bernstein, the district is working to identify staffing needs while developing assessment tools and instructional resources for both district programs and community providers who serve young children.

District officials said there are no plans to change existing RSU 9 pre-K program locations. Instead, services will be delivered in the setting determined by a child’s Individualized Education Program team as the least restrictive learning environment.

Depending on a child’s needs, services could take place within the Mt. Blue pre-K program, Head Start programs, community preschools or child care settings where the child already spends the day.

Families will learn about eligibility, evaluations and enrollment timelines through Individualized Education Program meetings. Parents are part of the IEP team and may participate in meetings in person, by phone or virtually.

To ensure continuity during the transition, RSU 9 staff are already participating in IEP meetings for children who recently turned 4 or will turn 4 before Oct. 15, 2026. The meetings allow district staff to meet families, learn about students and contribute to developing the children’s education plans.

Bernstein said the district’s next steps include strengthening connections with families, case managers and pediatricians to share information about how children who may have disabilities can be identified and evaluated for services.